His Greatest Adventure
by Katrina
Summary: AU. CS. Set after Zelena has gone but no time travel ever took place and Emma hasn't got her magic back: "Well, this is awkward." Captain Hook's lightly spoken words hung in the air between them causing Emma Swan to let out a sigh and roll her eyes as she shook her head in annoyance. "You think?" she snapped irritably gesturing to the large heavy chain that joined them together.


**DISCLAIMER:** "Once Upon A Time" is copyrighted to ABC and Disney-ABC Domestic Television. I retain rights to the plot, but not the characters. This story is meant for enjoyment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

**AUTHOR:** Katrina

**PAIRING:** Captain Hook/Emma Swan, Captain Swan.

**SYNOPSIS:** "Well, this is awkward." Captain Hook's lightly spoken words hung in the air between them causing Emma Swan to let out a sigh and roll her eyes as she shook her head in annoyance. "You think?" she snapped irritably gesturing to the large heavy chain that joined them together.

**GENRE:** Romance and humour with a dash of angst.

**A/N:** Based on a prompt from Katherine2701 – 'Could you please do a prompt? It's based on a scene in The Tudors between Thomas Tallis and his wife, where he seduces her by comparing her to a voyage in some of the sweetest poetic words ever and I'd love a CS version.' Not sure if I've fulfilled the brief exactly but I've done my own thing with it and hopefully you all enjoy it regardless.

**HIS GREATEST ADVENTURE**

"Well, this is awkward."

Captain Hook's lightly spoken words hung in the air between them causing Emma Swan to let out a sigh and roll her eyes in annoyance.

"You think?" she snapped irritably gesturing to the large heavy chain that joined them together.

They were sitting on the floor of a dank castle dungeon where they'd been entrapped by the latest evil tyrant to grace the Enchanted Forest. Honestly, when she'd agreed to return with her parents, she hadn't expected that they'd get caught up with yet another villain quite so quickly.

She shifted slightly and moved her left arm to try and get some circulation flowing through her cuffed wrist. The movement pulled the chain through the iron loop that was secured to the wall above them and tugged on the other end, drawing the leather-clad pirate closer to her. His cuff was on his right hand and with his hook having been removed before they'd been locked up, there was little he could do about the situation.

"I think you're doing that on purpose, Swan," he goaded with a smirk as his shoulder brushed against hers, "You know you don't need chains to lure me nearer, you only have to ask."

"Will you just be serious for a moment?" she admonished tartly as she eyed the shackles binding them together distastefully.

"I am," he retorted, the smile never leaving his face.

Emma let out a growl of frustration then yanked down on the chain hard causing his arm to quickly rise and smack back against the wall. He let out a grunt of pain, his smile finally replaced by a scowl as he cradled his injury.

"Rather unnecessary, Swan," he groused, rubbing the sore spot on his elbow where it had cracked against the wall, "Do you wish to incapacitate me completely?"

"I wish I could incapacitate your mouth," she muttered grimly.

His grin was suddenly back as he began, "Well, you could always…"

"Don't say it!" she interrupted curtly, shooting him a warning look.

He chuckled at her obvious aggravation then leaned his head back against the wall and let out a sigh. They'd already tried a number of ways to free themselves but nothing so far had worked. There was only one course of action left as far as he was concerned but he knew it wouldn't be one that Emma would like to hear, not that _that_ had ever stopped him before. When he spoke again, as expected, Emma tensed at his words.

"You know, if you just used your magic we'd be out of here in no time," he suggested quietly.

"I don't have my magic anymore, you know that," she responded snippily after a moments pause.

"Zelena is dead, all her spells were broken, you should have got it back," he stated reasonably and not for the first time to his enormous frustration. Damn woman could be so infuriatingly stubborn.

"Well I _didn't_," she retorted harshly, "Now just let it go."

He was silent for a few more minutes then she let out a huff of irritation as he spoke again.

"Perhaps you should use me as an incentive, love," he proposed flatly.

She looked at him sharply then ventured defensively, "What the hell do you mean by that?"

As she awaited his reply she shifted uncomfortably. She knew that his complete faith in her in the past had always somehow helped her focus on her magic but she hadn't thought that he'd been aware of it. Heck, she'd never even dared allow _herself_ to look too closely at her feelings and put a name to _why_ his belief in her had always sparked and even increased her abilities. She was too scared of what she might find, or more truthfully, what she already knew deep down but was steadfastly refusing to acknowledge…in _any_ way.

"I merely meant that if you could summon your magic again you'd be rid of me and my obviously tiresome presence all that much quicker," he explained with a small smile before querying with one eyebrow raised, "Now, doesn't that sound like a fine inducement for you to at least try?"

She stared back at him silently then saw the glimmer of hurt in his eyes before he blinked it away and looked down, his face falling when she didn't bother to reply.

Emma couldn't help but feel a pang of remorse. Did he really think that she didn't want him around? Of course he did, she quickly realised with a heavy sigh. She'd been pushing him away for days, weeks now trying to put some distance between them because she knew damn well he'd gotten too close. He was there under her skin and in her heart so securely that she doubted she'd ever fully prise him out even if she wanted to.

Looking at him now she wondered why she still kept trying to run. Her heart certainly didn't want to and neither did she if she were completely honest with herself. She was so tired of denying herself something that could be the best thing she'd ever had just because she was scared of what _might_ happen. Some people were worth taking a chance on and he'd more than proved that he was one of them. Countless times.

"I don't want to be rid of you, Killian," she finally admitted, the words sounding deafening in her ears even though she'd uttered them quietly.

He immediately turned to look at her, his gaze guarded yet a little hopeful at the same time.

"You don't?"

"No," she assured him with a brief smile and shake of her head before continuing softly, "Truth is, I'm not sure what I want to do when it comes to you but I _do_ know that I don't want you to leave me."

His eyebrows rose at her sudden honesty then his lips quirked up into a half smile that she even entertained the idea that he _could_ leave.

"I won't," he stated simply.

She swallowed hard and he could see what her little admission had cost her emotionally. They'd shared many a conversation where she'd been open about her feelings in regards to other men and her family in the past but this was the first time she'd ever made it directly about him.

Wanting to put her at ease once more, he widened his smile then injected just the right amount of innuendo into his tone to comment, "As to not knowing what to do with me, love, I'd be more than happy to provide you with a couple of suggestions if you wish?"

Emma couldn't hold back the smile that his words evoked and felt a little relieved that he'd chosen to try and lighten the mood. Opening up even that tiny amount had been daunting and she needed some time to let it sink in.

"I bet you can," she muttered archly before closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the dungeon wall.

Killian studied her profile, his gaze travelling over her face committing every little detail to memory. She was a truly beautiful woman, both inside and out and he just wished there was a way he could get her to see that for herself. To somehow tell her how special she was without putting the fear of the Gods into her…although in their current situation at least he knew that she couldn't walk away from him for once.

"You know, I've been on many an adventure in my life, Emma," he remarked lightly, "Some good, some not and seen many different realms, worlds even. Yet during all that time, all those people and wondrous things I've beheld, not one has ever measured up anywhere near to you."

He saw her frown slightly and wondered if he'd said too much. Just because she'd told him she wanted him around, that didn't mean she was in love with him or anything even if she _did _give up her magic to save his life.

Friends did things like that for each other too, didn't they?

Emma's frown deepened then she opened her eyes to look at him suspiciously.

"So I'm just another _adventure_ to you?" she asked dubiously, looking annoyed.

The pirate felt a dart of frustration that she'd twisted his words into a detrimental thing rather than an indication of his affection.

"No, love, but if I _were_ to compare you I'd say you're the most magnificent one I've ever had," he retorted wryly before adding a trifle flippantly, "In fact, you've quite ruined me for all future swashbuckling misdeeds I might possibly entertain embarking on…and, I fear, all women."

Her initial reaction was to scoff at his words but the serious look on his face belied the lightness of his tone and she found herself momentarily speechless.

"You can't really mean that," she eventually refuted softly, still taken aback.

"Have I ever lied to you, Emma?" he pointed out his voice equally as soft.

She shook her head, a barely there movement that if he hadn't been studying her so astutely he would've missed.

"I just don't get what you think you see in me," she whispered sadly.

Now it was Killian's turn to hold back a scoff. Instead, he moved a little closer and gave her a small smile as his gaze travelled over her face and form.

"Your tempestuous fire reminds me of the mercurial ocean, ebbing first one way then the other. The uncertainty of its course leaves me never sure if I will be left to crash upon the rocks or be allowed to sail the eventual calm waters for _just_ a little while longer," he began in a low voice.

Reaching out he gently took hold of some of her long tresses in his hand then let the strands slip through his fingers as he continued, "Each morning I awake eager to be met by the golden sun that is your hair until evening falls, bringing out the stars that shine in your eyes, forever my guiding lights."

Emma could feel her heartbeat gathering speed as he continued to speak. His softly accented voice did things to her insides and nether regions that were so wrong given their current predicament but she couldn't find it within her to tell him to stop.

"Your lips are like an oasis," he resumed after a pause, his gaze dropping to her mouth. "A place I'd be thankful to drink from every single day though I know without doubt that my thirst would _never_ be quenched."

Emma's tongue involuntarily darted out and moistened her lips at his words. She saw his eyes darken suddenly, the need clear in his expression and she thought that he might kiss her, but he didn't. Instead she saw him swallow hard before dragging his gaze back up to meet hers. He regarded her silently for a moment then leaned forward slightly and lifted his hand once more. The movement caused her chained arm to rise a little in reaction then she drew in a sharp breath as he unexpectedly laid his palm flat against her chest, right over her heart.

Killian remained still trying to gauge her reaction. It was a bold move, he knew and he wanted to give her every opportunity to push him away if she felt uncomfortable. When she simply stared back at him, waiting on bated breath he relaxed a little and began to speak once more.

"But it's your heart that entices me most. A fortress that I seek not to plunder or control but is somewhere I know that inside everyone permitted entrance is safe and is loved. Unconditionally. Unreservedly. Truly. Somewhere only few are allowed and if _I_ were one day to be so lucky, only death itself could ever force me to leave again."

Emma let out the breath she was holding in a sudden whoosh as her heart first stalled then began to beat at a frighteningly rapid pace. His words of love, because she could no longer deny to herself what he felt, whirled around her head causing a maelstrom of feelings that all spiralled down to the one thing she'd been failing miserably to ignore.

She loved him too.

A sudden warmth engulfed her heart then quickly spread out to infuse her entire being making her gasp aloud. She recognised the familiar tingling in her fingertips and let out a delighted laugh of surprise as she looked down at her hands then back up at Killian.

Not quite the reaction he'd been hoping for, he removed his hand from her person and stared at her in confusion. His expression then turned to profound shock when she gave a quick wave of her hand and the shackles that bound them fell away.

"Swan, you have your magic back," he declared happily, his expression now one of pure joy as he stood up and held out his hand to help her rise.

"And it's all because of you," she told him gratefully.

He shook his head in immediate negation and smiled self depreciatingly.

"While I had every faith in you, _you're_ the only one that could make it happen, Emma," he told her, his eyes alight with the love that she no longer pretended hadn't always been there.

She closed the distance between them suddenly then reached up and clasped the back of his head. Boldly tugging him down to her, she placed a swift, hard kiss to his mouth that promised more then broke away leaving him looking a little dazed.

"We'll talk about it once we get out of here, okay?" she told him firmly before turning away.

Killian merely nodded then stood by and watched with a lazy grin as she proceeded to open their cell and strut off along the underground tunnel that led to freedom.

Somehow he had a feeling that tonight he was in for his greatest adventure of all.

**THE END**

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